If a child is being abused, most people know how to recognize it and
who to call.

But if an animal is being abused or neglected, Humane Society
officials in Vermont say many observers aren't sure if what they're
seeing constitutes abuse or who to contact if they have concerns.

Humane Society officials are hoping a new reporting and tracking
system will make it easier for residents to identify and report abuse.

Dubbed the Cruelty Response System, the new approach combines a
high-tech database that tracks complaints and cases with a reporting
system that eliminates confusion by giving callers in each county one
agency to call.

"For years and years there's been confusion about who to call," said
Jill Tucker, a humane enforcement consultant for the Vermont Humane
Federation. "Now, there's one place to call and a database that allows
multiple agencies to keep track of cases they didn't have access to
before."